How to Play Soccer: Offsides Rules

You are pumped with adrenaline as the soccer player dribbles towards goal, he passes brilliantly through two defenders and his teammate get the ball and makes a magnificent shot that sails into the back of the net. You stand up and cheer only the be calmed down a moment later by a whistle declaring offsides. What, you may ask yourself, is all this offsides business about?

Offsides Rules in Soccer

Offsides is a tricky rule for those who may not be familiar with the game. In simple terms, offsides means that an offensive player receiving a ball was behind the last defender when the ball was kicked. This may seem like a strange rule, but the point of it is to prevent offensive players from simply waiting near the goal and having players kick long balls to them. This practice is called cherry picking.

It is not illegal to actually be in an offside position, but if you touch the ball after being offsides, it is considered breaking the rules. You can also be declared offsides by touching the ball if you were in an offside position during a shot and the ball rebounds to you. Finally, a little known rule says that if you try to interfere with someone else getting the ball while offsides you are also committing a foul.

Offside Strategies

The penalty for offsides is an indirect free kick for the opposite team. Since a call of offsides can stop an offensive attack dead in its tracks, some defenses actually perform what is called the offside trap. This move is performed by the defenders by them all moving up in a line before a ball is passed in order to force offensive players into the offsides position. Of course, this is a risky move if the call is not made by the official, leaving the offense free to attack the goal with only the keeper left in their way.

Exceptions and Other Information

If you're starting to get a hang of this offsides business then be prepared for a this: loop-holes. There are some times when offsides cannot occur. These are during goal kicks, corner kicks, and throw ins. There was a period where free-kicks were also offsides free, but players ended up using this to stand in front of the keeper and obstruct his view, so the rule has changed back.

Offsides rules may be confusing at first, but after a while they make sense. Modern technology shows the exact positions of players when the ball was kicked, but at the end of the day it is up to the officials and the line judges to decide who is offside and who is not.